Plaiting attachment for sewing machines



Dec. 18, 1934. H, ROBBINS l 5 5 PLAITING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 23, 1934 4 SheetS-Sheei i ATTORNEY Dec. 18, 1934. H. ROBBINS I 1,985,106

PLAITING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 23, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 18, 1934. H ROBBINS 3 5 4 PLAITING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 25, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 AHORNEY Dec. 18, 1934. v H. ROBBINS PLAITING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 23, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WWINVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNireo STAT-ES PATENT? 1,985,106 PLAITING'ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING .11 r

.. q MACHINES I "r Harry Robbins, NewrYork, x, International Flouncing Co. Inc., New N. Y.-, a'corporationof New York mm; to I 1 Application Janna-p23, 1934, Serial No. "101,905"

4 Claims, (Cruz-134) This invention relates-to means or attachments adapted to be secured to sewing machines for producing or forming plaited strips of fabric to be sewed to curtains or other articles.

One object of the invention isto produce such a device which may be afllxed to any sewing machine without altering the working parts of the said machine. l

Another object of the invention is to produce a plaiting device which will'form a flat folded over tubular fabric structure out of asingle play fabric which is plaitedand sewed to asecond "fabric strip.

Another object is to produce a device of the character described inwhich the maximum simplicity of constructionand operation is secured.

Other objectsand' advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of parts herein fully described, andillustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather than a restrictive standpoint.

The inventive idea'involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a sewing machine showing my improved plaiting device aflixed thereto.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof looking from the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on line 7'1' Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a fragmental top plan view of the line 8-8 plaited strip sewnto a second strip of material and I Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view thereof taken on line 10-'-1'0Fig-; 9.

Referring to the drawings indetail indicates a'sewing machine having aneedlerbar v16'operated in the well known manner by a shaft '1'! driven from a main drive shaft not shown by gearing '18 or other means. The needle'ibar 16 in the presentinstancecarries'a pair'of-need1esl9. Secured to the shaft 17' thereis a pinion 20 in mesh with'a gear 21 on a stud 22 journall'ed ina plate 23 which is securedto themachine l5by means of a second plate 24 and aibracket. 25 carried on astud or post 26. The stud 22. carries a pinion 28 'which is in mesh with a-gear 29 secured to a short shaft 30 journalled-in the plate 23 and carries a cam.31havi ng a camgroovev32 cut in'one surface thereof. I

The machine is provided with a pair of lugs 35 in which there is mounted a shaft 36 which at the rear end thereof carries an adjustable lever 37 to which there is adjustably secured a roller 38 which operates in the cam slot 32 to rock a lever 39 secured to the front end of the. shaft 36.

To preform the material which is to be plaited into a folded over or tubular strip, I provide a folding, bending or tube forming structure comprising a double walled U shaped trough like tapering die or curling section 45 through which the leading end edge of the material 46 to be plaited is drawn. Suitable means 47 for guiding the material is provided at the rear of the said section 45. From the section 45 the material passes into a tapering conduit 48 which is oval in cross section as shown in Fig. '7, within which the material is formed into a tubular oval shaped structure or strip. Upon leaving the conduit 48 the tubular strip is folded over a ledge or shelf 49 and passes underneath thereof into and through a fiat passageway 50 which runs at right angles to the conduit 48. The passing of the material from the top of the shelf 49 to the bottom thereof causes the overlapping or seam portion of the tubular strip 46a to be on the bottom where it is not visible when sewn to the curtain or other object.

As the flattened multiplied strip 46a leaves the passageway 50 it is plaited in a manner shortly to be described, by means of apreferably resilient finger or strip 51 which is carried on a block or bracket 52 pivotally mounted on a pin 53 in a bracket or clamp 54 supported on the arm 39. The finger 51 is maintained in normal position by means of a coiled spring 59 which is anchored The plaiting operation is performed the' cam' slot 32 which through its connections 37 and 38 rocks the shaft 36 to swingthe'fi'nger51'down-1' wardly and inwardly and push the-strip 46a against the bevelled edge 64 of the presser foot 65 to form a plait 66 and also aids "in-bringing same underneath the presser foo-t t?" be sewed, down by the needles 19 to the curtain material 67. Both the curtain material and plaited strip are advanced simultaneously by the usual feed bar 68 partlyshown in'dotanddash. lines Fig. 2. One revolution of the cam shaft swings thefinger x51 inwardly:and-outwardlwto form aplait 66. From'the-foregoing it will beseen that-I have provided simple yet' efiicient means, for forming a multipliedstrip out of a;-singlestrip of material andthen. plaiti'ng same while itis being sewedfito azcurtain or the like. :1'Itwill also. be understood that due to the pre-shaping of the material into a tubular structurevery flimsy material such as net or the like may be used and a 'veryattractive and finished article produced.

Having, described my invention what l-claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. In a sewing machine, a folding and plaiting device therefor comprising a pair of sections for The section 45 may be supported on" folding the material to be plaited into a tubular strip, a driven shaft on the machine, suitable gearing driven from the said shaft, a cam driven by the said gearing, a cam groove in the said cam, a rock shaft, a lever at one end of the rock shaft, a roller on the lever in operative engagement with thecam groove a finger at the other end of the said' rock shaft to plaitthetubularstrip after it leaves the'folding' sections, and a presser foot on the machine having an inclined surface against which the plait is formed.

' 2. A; material pre-fo-rming device adapted for 'use'in connection with a plaiting device of a sewingmachine, the said pre-forming device compri'sing'a curlingportion through which the material to be plaited passes, the said curling portion being'tapered and transversely arcuate and a tube forming conduitin alinement therewith.

3. A.material pre-forming device adapted for use in connection with a plaiting device of a sewing machine, the said pre-forming device comprising a curling portion through which the material to be ,plaited passes, the said curling portion being tapered and transversely arcuate, a tube forming; conduit inalinement therewith, a shelf at the end of theconduit over which the formed tube passes and a flattening passageway carried below the said shelf and at right angles to the conduit I 4-,, In a sewing machine, a. material preforming Land plaiting' device'comprisinga tapering and transversely arcuate ,curling portion through which the material to be plaited passes, a tube forming conduit in-alinement therewith, a tube flattening passageway at right, angles to the conduit, a finger andrneans for operating the finger to form plaits in the flattened tube.

. 4 ROBBINS. 

